Jazz Bastard Podcast

The boys take a peek at four releases from 2025 sprawling all over the map. If you ever wondered what would happen if Dave Brubeck met an African percussion ensemble, you're about to find out. You'll also find out why evocations of the "young lions" period gives Pat PTSD, how a vocalist / trumpeter's new release deals with actual trauma, and why putting more sugar on your frosted flakes still won't help you catch up with a mononym keyboard wonder-woman. Domo Branch – HAND OF GIFTS; Raphael Pannier – LIVE IN ST. LOUIS, SENEGAL; Hiromi – OUT THERE; Emma Jean Thackray – WEIRDO.

Every now and then the boys bring vocal albums into the mix, but vocal group albums - now those are rarities. This time they take on two, at as opposite ends of the soul spectrum as it's possible to get. There's still room for releases led by instrumentalists, this time by a somewhat "out" bassist and a vibraphonist playing with how "in" he can get. Mario Pavone – TOULON DAYS; Andy Bey and the Bey Sisters – ROUND MIDNIGHT; Warren Wolf – SMOOVE VIBES; Dave Holland and Norma Winstone – VITAL SPARK.

We try to cover a wide gamut of improvised music in the podcast, buttoday's episode must surely have the widest spread of any recent offering. We've got spiritual jazz from the late sixties, a quartet featuring clarinet from a few weeks ago, an album by a British mover and shaker that could easily be filed under New Age, and an encounter between a saxophonist and guitar player that will leave most listeners cowering under their sofas. In pop matters, Pat learns that even Korean ladies can be F-boys and then pontificates about his latest live encounter with vibes-meister Joel Ross.  Shabaka Hutchings – PERCEIVE ITS BEAUTY ACKNOWLEDGE ITS GRACE; Fred Frith John Butcher – THE NATURAL ORDER ; Gary Bartz – ANOTHER EARTH; Martin Wind – STARS.

Have no fear - the boys are not discussing just any four quartets. No, there's a couple of matching sets. An influential album from a certain "European Quartet" confronts its doppelganger from fifty years later; a recent leader date from a guitarist known for his electric work faces off with a work of his youth dating back forty-five years. And if that's not exciting enough, Pat leads Mike into the dark alleyway of Beach Boy bootlegs. Branford Marsalis – BELONGING; Keith Jarrett – BELONGING; Nels Cline, et al – QUARTET MUSIC; Nels Cline – CONSENTRIK QUARTET.

It's too early for March Madness, but just in time for the bastards to wrap up their survey of the New York Times' Top Ten list of 2025 jazz albums. Some of the choices give the boys mixed emotions and some barely any emotions at all, but at the end of this journey we can all say one thing for certain- that sure was definitely ten albums of jazz. Pop matters stretches to include a discussion of a life-enhancing live set from Indianapolis mainstay Steve Allee. Billy Hart – JUST; Jacob Garchik - Ye Olde 2:  At the End of Time; Kassa Overall - CREAM; Joe Farnsworth – THE BIG ROOM.